


I'll Make You Mine

by reebye



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: 3racha + minho all work in a tattoo parlor together, Alternate Universe - Tattoo Parlor, College Student Jeongin, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff and Humor, Friends to Lovers, Han Jisung | Han is a Mess, Hyunjin's a waiter? bc thats my brand, Jeongin Seungmin and Felix are college students, M/M, Minor Bang Chan/Lee Felix, Minor Hwang Hyunjin/Lee Minho | Lee Know, Minor Kim Seungmin/Seo Changbin, Mutual Pining, Tattoo Artist Han Jisung, established found family, fake exes, jisung has a hopeless crush, mentions of blood and needles but thats just because they work in a tattoo parlor, mentions of side ships
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-04
Updated: 2020-10-04
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:48:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,374
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26802418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reebye/pseuds/reebye
Summary: “You know,” Chan swivels in his chair “You could just ask him out for real.”Jisung’s pout deepens into a frown “I’ve been flirting with him since the day we met, and he’s never picked up that I like him.” he furrows his brow “I think he would have noticed by now if he were interested in me.”“Then use this opportunity to win him over,” Minho tells him.“What?” Jisung turns to the older.“The plan is for you guys to act like you’re getting back together right?” Minho jumps up to sit on the counter when Jisung nods his head “So, you’re already faking having to win him over. Just do it for real.”Or.Jeongin tells someone he's trying to get back together with his ex-boyfriend to make them stop flirting with him and asks Jisung for help.
Relationships: Han Jisung | Han/Yang Jeongin | I.N
Comments: 10
Kudos: 70
Collections: Other Ships





	I'll Make You Mine

**Author's Note:**

> for the skz ship bingo squares tattoo artist/ glasses/ fake exes
> 
> this is so not beta-read but is fine I ran it through Grammarly. I hope whoever reads this enjoys it!! I had a lot of fun writing it!

Jisung’s eyes trace over the stenciled outline of Changbin’s soon to be new tattoo, looks to his hands as he loads simple black ink into his pen. There’s always a sort of anxious anticipation for him before he starts doing a new tattoo. It’s fun though, he’s glad this is his job. If he were to look away from Changbin’s thigh he’d see Chan very seriously inspecting Minho’s ear, trying to figure out what the very best placement for a new piercing.

Minho’s laughing squirming away from the elder’s intense gaze “Chan, is it really that serious?”

It’s what they do when the shop is extra slow. Most, if not all, of Jisung’s own piercings are from days when their little tattoo parlor was particularly empty, several of his own tattoos as well.

Changbin shoots him a look when he takes a moment longer to load the ink than he’d like “C’mon Ji, hurry up.”

Jisung’s eyes don’t move from his pen as he instinctively smacks Changbin’s thigh, just next to the stencil, with the back of his gloved hand. “Shut up, Binnie.”

“Hey!” Changbin cries out in fake dramatics “Dick.”

“That’s what you get for rushing him,” Minho calls from his seat.

Chan snorts at that, barely looking away from where he’s sterilizing his equipment.

Jisung laughs, sticking his tongue out childishly as he looks up at the elder.

“I’d hit you back if you weren’t about to permanently ink my skin.” Changbin sighs, but everyone can tell he’s holding back his own laughter.

Jisung is halfway through the linework of Changbin’s new tattoo when Minho interrupts their light conversation about what the 4 of them all should do for dinner after work with a low whistle.

“Ji!” Chan calls when Jisung pauses to wipe away the blood and loose ink from Changbin’s thigh, holding up the device from where he left it on the counter. “Your phone’s ringing.”

Jisung glances up “Who’s calling?”

Chan pauses to look at the screen “Um. Jeongin.”

“Put it on speaker please” Jisung grins, going back to work on Changbin’s thigh. “Everyone shh.”

There's a slight pause, where Chan slides answer on the call and turns on the speaker, and then motions for him to start talking.

“Hey, cutie!” Jisung raises his voice enough to be heard over the sound of his machine running “What’s up?”

Jeongin pauses for a second before sighing “Hey Jisung.” He sounds sort of resigned “What’re you up to?”

“Nothing much,” Jisung would have shrugged if he weren’t so focused on the linework “Shop’s pretty dead today so I’m giving Bin another tattoo.”

“Really?” Jeongin sounds almost disinterested “Wait, am I on speakerphone?”

“What?” Jisung drawls “Of course not!”

He watches Minho press the back of his hand to his mouth and turns his head away to suppress a laugh, shoulders shaking. Chan raises a bemused eyebrow at him.

“Ok,” Jeongin huffs, “Alright.”

He sounds… off. Everyone can tell that he’s trying to hype himself up to say something despite his mostly resigned tone.

“Everything alright?” Jisung asks, wiping down Changbin’s thigh and turning his pen off “You don’t normally call me.”

Jeongin groans “No,” he relents “I need a favor.”

“Ok?” Jisung furrows his brow in worry “What do you need?”

“I need you to pretend to be my ex-boyfriend.” Jeongin says it all in one breath and then tacks on “Please.” At the end for extra measure.

Jisung and Changbin make confused eye contact with each other, looking at each other to make sure that they both heard the same thing just then.

“You need me to what?” Jisung asks for confirmation

Jeongin pauses again “Can I stop by the shop in like an hour?” he sighs “I’ll explain everything then.”

“I mean.” Jisung clears his throat “I guess so. Like I said we’re not busy at all today, so I don’t see why not.” He pauses as both Minho and Changbin mime an eating motion at him before he says “Oh! Oh! Can you bring us some snacks if you do swing by?”

“Sure.” And then Jeongin hangs up.

There’s a long pause where the four of them just look at each other, everyone equally perplexed by the conversation that just took place. Chan moves first, grabbing an orange juice from their mini-fridge and walking over to hand it to Changbin – to keep his blood sugar up.

“Well, I for one can’t wait to hear the explanation for that.” Minho laughs.

Jisung can’t for the life of him, think of any possible reason for Jeongin to make that sort of request.

**_~~~_ **

They’re just finishing the last of the detail work on Changbin’s tattoo when Jeongin walks through the tattoo parlor’s front door, a bag from the convenience store in hand, and a forced smile on his lips.

“Hey, guys.” He greets, holds out the bag “Ice cream?”

“Sweet!” Minho’s the first to make it to the front of the store grabbing the bag from the youngest before he even greets him “Hey kid.”

“Your ear is red.” Jeongin deadpans

Minho snorts, rifling through the bag as he nods “Yeah, Chan just pierced it.”

“Huh.” Is all Jeongin says before he greets Chan, who’s joined Minho in investigating the bag. Jisung can’t really hear whatever conversation they’re having over the plastic foil he’s smoothing over Changbin’s thigh.

“So, you’re gonna-” Jisung cuts himself off “Bin, I almost just gave you instructions on how to take care of that.”

Changbin snorts “Oh that would have been helpful.” He jokes “Not like I wasn’t the one to teach you that in the first place.”

Jisung laughs “Sorry, force of habit” he shrugs, “You good?”

“I can get the rest from here,” Changbin grins, jerks his chin towards the front of the shop. “Go talk to Jeongin.”

Jisung slides his gloves off and tosses them in the trash on his way up to the front of the shop yelling out an “Innie!” to alert everyone he’s done.

The younger is sitting in the piercer’s chair, half-eaten mint chocolate chip popsicle in hand while Chan asks about how his classes went that day. He looks over as Jisung finally makes it to the counter and starts rifling through the convenience store bag himself for the ice cream that was brought for him.

Jeongin waits long enough for Jisung to pop the lid off the small tub of cookies and cream and jam the little plastic spoon that was attached to the top into the slightly melted treat before he asks “Can I talk to you alone for a minute?”

Jisung quirks an eyebrow and then shrugs “Sure, we can kick Binnie out of the tat room.”

The ‘tat room’ can barely even be considered a room. The sop itself is a large open space, they just put some chairs and installed two counters when they moved in. The ‘rooms’ were constructed through portable walls, set on wheels for easy mobility, that they roll to separate the tattoo chairs when they have clients. The only reason there’s a room set up at that moment is because a customer came in for a fast consultation a little over a half-hour earlier and they didn’t want to distract Minho and his client during their appointment so Chan rolled them out and was too lazy to move them back after they left. But it gives them all the privacy they’ll need. Minho and Chan don’t say anything when Jeongin follows him into the back of the store.

Changbin’s digging around in the drawers of the cabinet that Jisung keeps his supplies in, tattoo gun and ink included, when they make it back to the room. His short’s pant leg crumpled from where he had it rolled up for the tattoo.

“We’re kicking you out,” Jisung tells him, jokingly jabbing his thumb behind him.

Changbin snorts and stands his to his full height “Alright, alright.” He surrenders “I was just looking for the Aquaphor, I’m out at home and I was hoping to steal some from you.”

“I think Channie keeps some samples up by the register.” Jisung offers.

Changbin nods “Cool.” And pats both of them on the back as he makes his exit.

Jisung motions to his stool for Jeongin to sit on while he hops himself onto the still reclined tattoo chair. He digs into his ice cream once he’s comfortable, savoring the cold treat while he waits for his friend to start the conversation.

“So,” Jeongin starts, his smile still looks forced, like he’s doing his best to keep it up even though he really doesn’t feel like smiling. “I owe you an explanation, huh?”

“Please.” Jisung chuckles, leaning back in the chair “I’m so confused.”

Jeongin pouts at him, and it’s cute in a way that only the younger can be. He finishes his popsicle before taking a deep breath.

“So, fake ex-boyfriend.” He sighs.

“Yeah” Jisung interrupts, spoon still trapped between his lips “why _ex_? Why not just be your fake boyfriend?”

“That’s the thing I was getting to if you’d let me talk.” Jeongin flicks the popsicles stick at him.

“Ok!” Jisung squawks as he tries to dodge it “Ok. Tell me then!” he giggles.

“There’s this guy in one of my classes right.” Jeongin makes a sour face at the memory “And I guess he was flirting with me,” he lets out another huff.

Jisung nods, eating another spoonful of ice cream, and motions for him to continue.

Jeongin pinches the bridge of his nose “Well, I didn’t realize he was flirting because I was paying attention to my lecture.” He shoots a glare at Jisung when the latter snorts “And so when he asked if I was single, I said yes, y’know like an idiot.”

Jisung bites the inside of his cheek to keep himself from laughing “Uh-huh. That doesn’t explain where I come in.”

“ _Well,_ ” Jeongin drawls “When I finally realized he was flirting I tried to shoot him down, but he wouldn’t listen to me when I said I wasn’t interested without a reason.”

“Gross.” Jisung comments offhandedly, he’s scrapping the sides of his ice cream carton at this point.

“I know right? I hate men.” Jeongin snorts “But anyway, I told him I was trying to work things out with my ex. And that’s why I need you to be my ex-boyfriend.”

“Awe” Jisung coos “I’m honored you chose me.”

Jeongin rolls his eyes “You weren’t my first choice,” he shrugs, brushing over the ‘ _ouch’_ Jisung interjects with, “I knew I needed someone intimidating so when he asked about my ex I started describing Changbin because I knew he’d help me but then I realized that Seungmin might not like me using his boyfriend for this so I switched to Chan because I knew Felix would be ok with it.” he takes a breath “But then I figured Chan might not be up for it because he’s so loyal he probably wouldn’t even pretend.”

“What was the description you gave?” Jisung chuckles

“The short guy with a pretty smile that works at the Double Knot Tattoo Parlor near campus.” Jeongin deadpans “Vague enough that it could be any of you.”

“Why not Minho then? He fits that description too.” Jisung teases “I’m sure both he and Hyunjin would have been up for this scheme. Plus, he’s way more intimidating than me.”

Jeongin narrows his eyes “I can’t date Minho. Even if it is just pretend.”

Which truthfully, makes Jisung laugh harder than it should.

“Alright” he gasps between giggles “I’m in.”

Jeongin breathes out a sigh of relief “Thanks Ji, I owe you.”

“Nah, not really” Jisung grins, standing up “Only a whole cheesecake – or a kiss – up to you.”

Jeongin laughs at that, finally looking comfortable as they make way to join the rest at the front counter.

“So, what’s the deal?” Chan teases when he spots them.

“Well!” Jisung grins, jumping up to sit on the counter next to the register “Jeongin and I are exes now.”

Minho snorts, looks between the two of them “What?” he teases “Did you date for like three seconds and break up or?”

“Ah!” Jisung points his finger at the elder in amazement “That’s smart! Innie we should do that.”

Jeongin shoots him a pained look “Yeah, I’d rather not.”

“Boo, you’re boring” Jisung juts his lip out at the younger.

Jeongin just rolls his eyes “I have to go, I’m meeting with Seungmin and Felix before my last class.”

Chan perks up at that, rolling the chair he’s sat on into the open “Oh tell them I say hi!”

“I will not.” Jeongin laughs as he starts inching towards the door.

“If not that then,” Changbin interjects, a smirk spread across his face “Give Seungmin a kiss for me.”

Jeongin’s face screws up in disgust “Gross. I’d rather just say hi.”

Changbin shrugs, a smug look on his face still present even as Jeongin resumes his walk to the door. The younger turns and gives them one final wave goodbye before he leaves through the glass doors of their shop.

Jisung deflates slightly once the younger is out of sight, pressing the knuckle of his thumb against his eye with a sigh. He doesn’t know why he agreed to this. Minho barks a small laugh and leans against the counter next to where he’s sitting and pats him on the back.

“So, fake dating your crush?” Changbin teases.

Jisung swats at him weakly “It’s not even fake dating!” he pouts “It’s fake getting back together! What the hell does that even mean?”

“You know,” Chan swivels in his chair “You could just ask him out for real.”

Jisung’s pout deepens into a frown “I’ve been flirting with him since the day we met, and he’s never picked up that I like him.” he furrows his brow “I think he would have noticed by now if he were interested in me.”

“Then use this opportunity to win him over,” Minho tells him.

“What?” Jisung turns to the older.

“The plan is for you guys to act like you’re getting back together right?” Minho jumps up to sit on the counter when Jisung nods his head “So, you’re already faking having to win him over. Just do it for real.”

Jisung opens his mouth to tell the older just how _bad of an idea that is oh my god_ when the business’s landline starts ringing. He reaches over to answer the call and the other three disperse on their own. He supposes that’s the end of this conversation.

**_~~~_ **

The thing Jisung really hates about Minho is, no matter what, the elder has a way of planting ideas in his head. And Jisung somehow always ends up following what he says.

So, despite acting against the idea he still ends up agreeing with Minho.

Win Jeongin over, make him his real boyfriend. Easy enough, right?

Except for the fact that Jisung has no idea how to go about that.

The thing about Jeongin is he’s either really dense or he’s purposefully ignoring Jisung’s flirting and truthfully, he’s not sure which is worse. Jisung _has_ been flirting for years now – ever since he met the younger in high school when Jeongin had those goofy braces and Jisung was still trying to fight every single person who had the misfortune to cross his path. It’s been years, they’ve grown into a comfortable found family type of friend group, Jeongin’s in his junior year of college and Jisung’s happily dropped out and started working at his best friend’s tattoo parlor. But no matter how close they get, even if all their friends are dating each other, Jeongin has never once shown interest in dating him.

And that’s fine. Jisung has never been the pushy type, would never pressure him into a relationship he doesn’t want. So, it’s fine that Jeongin’s never once acknowledged his flirting.

But therein lies two problems for Jisung.

The first being: how is he supposed to get the point that he’s actually interested across to Jeongin when he’s already been putting his all in.

The second being: he doesn’t know how else to act around the younger man when all Jisung knows how to do is flirt with him.

It was Minho’s idea to win Jeongin over, therefor, Jisung figures, it’s his responsibility to help him. Which may or may not be a mistake – the jury’s still out on that one.

Jisung can’t tell if the older man is pulling some sort of joke when he tears a page out of his sketchbook and writes the words ‘ _Seducing Yang Jeongin_ ’ at the top. Nonetheless, Jisung furrows his brow at the page.

“Too much?” Minho snorts, tapping his pen against his chin “I figured a visual list would be better for you.”

“I’m not trying to _seduce_ Innie.” Jisung defends, twisting the hem oh his flannel between his fingers.

Minho blinks at him, teasing smile only growing “Ok Jisung if you say so.”

Jisung pouts. He knows that Minho is mocking him right now, but he was the one to ask for help in the first place.

“So, we know your so-called flirting isn’t working.” Minho continues as he draws the number 1. at the side of the page, “I think your next step should be showing that you care about him.”

“Show him I care? Don’t I already so that?”

“No, like” Minho makes a tick at the side of the page and starts scribbling down examples as he says them “Start picking him up after class, bring him coffee while he studies – y’know stuff like that.”

Jisung presses his lips together but nods “Okay… what else?”

Minho writes a 2. underneath and the looks at Jisung for a long moment before telling him “You need to stop flirting with him.”

“I – what?” Jisung sputtered “Isn’t that counterproductive?”

“It’s not” Minho points his pen at him “He thinks you're joking because of how consistently you’re doing it. You have to finesse.”

“I have to what?”

“Oh my god, you’re stupid.” Minho snorts, writes the words ‘less flirting’ down, “No wonder you don’t have a boyfriend.”

Jisung scoffs in offense “You only have a boyfriend because you were nice to Hyunjin once and he couldn’t stop thinking about you for a week.”

“Because I finessed my flirting!”

“Because Hyunjin’s a romantic!” Jisung furrows his brow “And dumb.” he tacks on at the end – because he can.

That at least makes Minho laugh, shaking his head “Well, I’m in a relationship and you’re not. Can you really afford to be arguing with me?”

“How do I ‘finesse’ then?” Jisung concedes.

“It’s about timing.” Minho starts doodling at the corner of the page “Knowing when to flirt and when to just be yourself.”

Jisung must look as lost as he feels because Minho laughs at him when he looks up.

“Next.” He writes a 3. “Make yourself look like you can be a good boyfriend.”

Jisung outright scoffs at that one “Do I not look like boyfriend material?” and it’s kind of a joke, but also not.

“Jisung, I love you, I really do, you’re my platonic soulmate _but_ ” Minho is still giggling at him “You’re a goblin.”

Jisung sputters a laugh at that, looking at his friend incredulously “How am I a goblin?!”

“Where do I start?” Minho hums “First off, you’ve got ink on your hands all the damn time. You wear too much jewelry. Half your clothes have holes in them. You live under a bridge.”

“Ok, now you’re just spewing bullshit.” Jisung playfully shoves the older “I live in a normal apartment.”

Minho rolls his chair away throwing his head back with a loud laugh “I was just checking to make sure you were listening to me.”

“I shouldn’t have asked you for help.” Jisung kicks his feet “Chan would have been more help – or even Bin!”

“Do you want a second opinion on my list?” Minho arches his brow “We can ask what the others think if you want.”

“And be called a goblin by more of my friends?” Jisung pouts “No thank you.”

Minho hums, looking at the paper one more time before picking up and folding it half “If I think of anything more, I’ll let you know but these are the basics.”

Jisung takes it folds it a few more times and shoves the page into his pocket “Thanks, I hope this works.”

“Trust me,” Minho grins “we all do.”

**_~~~_ **

Jisung adjusts the fake glasses perched on his nose, shifts in his seat anxiously as he glances around the café. Jeongin wanted to meet up for lunch to talk about the details of their scheme so Jisung decided it was high time that he started acting on the list Minho made him the other day.

So, there he sits, fifteen full minutes early to their meet up in a button-down shirt and a pair of (not ripped) blue jeans. It’s nicer than he’d normally dress but he’s determined to not look like a so-called goblin for at least a day.

Hyunjin slides an iced Americano onto the table in front of him with a quirked eyebrow. Jisung frequents the café often enough that his friend knows what he’s going to order even before he goes to the table, so Hyunjin tends to just put the order when he sees him – or any of their friends, really.

“You look uncomfortable” the waiter comments, because unfortunately for Jisung, Hyunjin knows him a little too well. Knows just the right buttons to push “Got a hot date?”

Jisung rolls his eyes as he grabs his drink “I’m waiting for Jeongin.”

“Is that a yes I’m hearing?”

“I’ll kick you, Hwang.” Jisung threatens despite the laugh threatening to rumble in his chest “I don’t care that you’re working. I’ll do it.”

Hyunjin scrunches his nose teasingly at him and wordlessly reaches over and undoes the top button of Jisung’s shirt. Jisung taps the toe of his boot lightly against Hyunjin’s ankle in retaliation. They both widen their eyes at each other in playful anger before the older of the two breaks into a laugh.

“No, but seriously,” Hyunjin leans on the table “Why’re you so dressed up if it’s just Jeongin?”

Jisung takes a long sip from his coffee before huffing “Your boyfriend called me a goblin.”

Hyunjin snorts at that “That’s your charm point.”

“I’m not a goblin!”

“Ok Jisung, if you say so.” And Hyunjin says it in exactly the same way that Minho had relented about him not trying to seduce Jeongin a few days prior. It kind of pisses Jisung off, how well matched his friends are in that way. Ever since the two of them got together they’ve somehow perfected the act of teasing him. it makes sense, Minho’s always been one to comfortably poke fun of him and his relationship with Hyunjin went from petty fights to a friendly banter throughout the years – so when it went from Minho and Hyunjin to _Minho and Hyunjin_ it was no surprise when they teamed up to lovingly rile Jisung up.

Truthfully Jisung might just be jealous of their relationship. That in and of itself is enough to get a reaction from him.

“So, are you and Jeongin are having lunch or just coffee?” Hyunjin moves on easily, getting back to business.

“Lunch, I think.”

“I’ll wait until he comes before I put your orders in then.” Hyunjin nods and turns on his heel to get back to work before he pauses and looks over his shoulder “Undo another button on your shirt. You’ll look sexier.”

“Like I care about that.” Jisung scoffs, but he loosens the second button the moment Hyunjin is out of sight. Much like Minho, Hyunjin has a sort of effect on him that he always ends up listening to him despite himself. They’re a dangerous duo for Jisung to be around.

He adjusts the glasses on his face once more and pulls his phone out. Admittedly he regrets not bringing his sketchbook to at least try to get some work done while he waits for his crush to show up to their pseudo date but that’s all hindsight. Instead, he’s stuck on his phone reading some National Geographic article about cheetahs. At least he’s interested in it.

“Why’re you wearing glasses?”

Jeongin’s voice pulls Jisung from being immersed in the article, his head snapping up to look at the younger man as he sits in the seat across from him. Jeongin has a bemused quirk to his lips and he’s wearing a plain hoodie and – holy shit he’s cute, it’s a little jarring for Jisung to be honest.

“You don’t like them?” Jisung pouts “I thought they played into my role as a fake boyfriend.”

“I almost walked right past you, dummy.” Jeongin lips pull into a wide grin “Also you’re supposed to be an intimidating type not… whatever the hell you’re dressed as.”

“These are my clothes!” Jisung defends “I’m dressed as myself!”

Jeongin laughs, face scrunching as he lets out little gasps “I haven't seen you wear glasses in years.”

“Not working for you?” Jisung slides the fake spectacles off his face to inspect them “I thought they were cute though.”

Jeongin shakes his head, holds his hand out and motions for the frames. “These don’t even have lenses in them!” he exclaimed once they were in his hands.

“They were for the vibe more than anything else.”

“You’re dumb.”

Jisung tries not to let himself believe that there’s a hint of fondness in the youngers tone. He’s an expert of not reading into the things Jeongin says and does. Good at not getting his hopes up. Except that’s a lie and he indulges in the idea of the younger being fond of him – It’s why his crush has been roaring as strong as ever throughout the years.

He watches Jeongin slide the glasses onto his own face and perches his chin in the palm of his hand, posing cutely.

“Well?” Jeongin asks, teasing lilt still in his voice.

“Cute.” The word slips from his mouth before he can think but he means it, so he rolls with it “They suit you more than me, I’m jealous.”

“As you should be.” Jeongin bounces his eyebrows “I’m adorable.”

Jisung breaks into his own laugh, fondness filling his chest as he talks to the younger. It’s always been like that, always been undeniably whipped for the younger man. Hyunjin slides a hot drink onto the table in front of Jeongin and immediately disappears to put in their regular orders for the cafe’s kitchen to start working on.

“I suppose we should work out the details of our deal then, huh?” Jeongin says after a minute.

Jisung shoots him a tight-lipped smile “Sure.”

It’s when Jeongin pulls out a notebook that Jisung realizes they’re making _another_ list. He wonders if lists are just a thing for people with Jeongin and Minho’s MBTI type, he’s been subject Seungmin’s lists enough times to consider it a real possibility at this point.

He diligently pays attention to what Jeongin’s telling him, nodding along to each point being made on the paper. It’s not so much a plan as just ground rules of what both of them are comfortable doing. Or, well, what Jeongin’s comfortable with since there’s not really anything Jisung wouldn’t do for the younger boy.

Jeongin hands him the list – which basically boils down to no kissing and keeping their current dynamic as much as possible except posting to social media more – once they’ve finished discussing it. Jisung thinks this list and the list Minho made him that’s burning a hole in his pocket conflict a little too much for this to be an easy journey. But it’s fine, he can work with it.

They’re still in the middle of eating though, so they’ve got at least 10 more minutes together before Jeongin runs off back to school and Jisung inevitably goes back to work. It’s then that Jisung remembers the first bullet point of Minho’s list.

_Show him you care_.

Jisung looks at the younger for a moment, hesitating as he tries to think of something to say.

“So, how’re classes going?” He cringes at the question. He sounds like an emotionally unavailable father trying to connect with his son over an uncomfortable family dinner. He’s too busy painting that weird image in his own head to notice the way Jeongin’s eyes light up before he answers.

“Really good actually!” Jeongin grins wide “Depending on how I do with my finals I should be able to become a student teacher starting next semester.”

“Oh really?” Jisung settles down a little and motions for the other to continue on, trying to show interest in what he’s saying.

He lets Jeongin start rambling, nodding along to everything he’s saying even though he doesn’t really understand everything. It’s cute how passionate Jeongin is about this. It’s cute how he stumbles over his words a few times because he’s info-dumping so quickly.

Teaching had always been Jeongin’s dream for as long as Jisung has known him. He’s always been excited to share when asked about it. Jisung is glad to let him talk about his interests for as long as he wants.

It isn’t until Jeongin’s phone alarm goes off to alert him that he has a lecture he needs to attend in 15 minutes, long after they’ve finished eating, that Jeongin finally stops his ramble about his plans for the future. The younger looks a little sheepish once he realizes just how long he’d be talking but Jisung only flashes him a bright grin in response.

“I gotta run,” Jeongin says, already standing up from his seat.

“Right, have fun in your lecture.” Jisung nods “Learn lots.”

Jeongin grins, “I’ll try.” And then he’s walking away.

Hyunjin slides into the newly empty seat before Jisung can even catch his bearings.

“So, how’d your hot date with Innie go?” he teases.

Jisung quirks an eyebrow “You were here watching, you should know.”

“I was working.”

“You were standing at the servers station pretending to wipe down menus half the time!”

“What was that?” Hyunjin puts his hand to his ear in mock “I can’t hear you over your heavily discounted meal.”

Jisung narrows his eyes “You’re becoming too much like Minho, I don’t like it.”

“You are what you eat.” Hyunjin shrugs, wiggles his eyebrows suggestively.

“Disgusting!” Jisung chucks his crumpled up napkin at him “Never speak to me again.”

Hyunjin throws his head back as he laughs, “No seriously, how’d it go with Jeongin?”

“Good.” Jisung pauses, cocking his head to the side “I think.”

“You think?”

“I don’t know.” Jisung sighs “We just talked about how basically he just wants to post more pictures on the internet together and that’ll convince whoever, but-” he cuts himself off.

“But?” Hyunjin prods.

“Minho says I should do more.”

Hyunjin nodded “He mentioned he made you a list.”

“He did.”

Hyunjin makes a grabby motion at him instead of verbally asking for the list. Jisung reaches into his pocket for the neatly folded paper and hands it over along with the one that Jeongin made him.

“Seducing Yang Jeongin,” Hyunjin reads aloud, holding back a laugh “versus Fake dating Baby Bread.”

Jisung waits while the older man reads over both the lists a couple of times. This whole situation seems cliché and as convoluted as it gets, he’ll admit to that.

Hyunjin voices his own thoughts once he’s done “You’re all making this way more complicated than it needs to be.”

“I know.”

“Then why’re you doing it?”

Truthfully, Jisung doesn’t know. But when he sees the way Jeongin smiles, hears the way he laughs, it makes his heart flutter. The warmth he feels when he’s around the younger boy is immeasurable. And all he can think of to say is:

“Because I love him.”

Hyunjin’s face softens into a small smile as he hands the lists back to him, “Then I support whatever you want to do as long as you’re happy.”

Jisung grins at that. He’ll win Jeongin over somehow, no matter what it takes.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed it! Feedback is always always appreciated 
> 
> my [twitter](https://twitter.com/skzdays)
> 
> my [curious cat](https://curiouscat.me/skzdays)


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